Review of stop/time 'Unpacking' at Playhouse on Park

Review by Nancy Sasso Janis

stop/time dance theater, the resident dance company of Playhouse on Park, presented “Unpacking,” a unique dance performance conceived, directed and choreographed by Playhouse on Park Artistic Director/Co-Founder Darlene Zoller. I was lucky to secure one of the few remaining seats to the closing performance.

In press materials, stop/time described the performance in this way: “We all carry around baggage but when stop/time dance theater does it leads to some interesting adventures. See what they unpack as the show unfolds and the music begins. Dancing, singing and all around fun have become the trademark of the resident dance company of Playhouse on Park, now in its 21st year.”

Music director Melanie Guerin ensured that the singers sounded their best. Scenic designer Shruv Patel came up with a clever set that allowed the performers to enter from between thin spaces. Kudos to the lighting designer Aaron Hochheiser on a long list of impressive effects, especially the red light “wall” that stopped characters that wanted to leave too early. Mike Rosenbush was in charge of the sound.

The song list contained some classic pieces like “Mission Impossible,” Billy Joel’s “Moving Out,” Puttin on the Ritz,” “In My Life,” and “We Can Work It Out.” But there were also some great contemporary songs like “Into the Unknown,” “Would I Lie to You?” and “Stronger.”

Lisa Steier designed the ever-changing costumes, and some of the dancers contributed some pieces with a more street clothes feel. Eileen OConnor was the master of the props, including the all-important mix of suitcases.

The group of muli-generational, and very talented, dancers in the cast included Lisa Caffyn, an original member of the troupe who is a middle school teacher by day.

Jen Checovetes, a special education preschool teacher by day who also manages Mid Connecticut Dance Company with her mother, Cindy Bunger, and directs their competitive dance team with her sister, Erica O'Keefe.

Ali Forman is back for her 8th season with stop/time When she's not dancing, you'll find her working with adorable tiny humans as a speech-language pathologist in Birth to Three.

Meredith Longo, who started dance training when she was 4 years old, joined stop/time in 2016. “When she’s not at rehearsal or taking dance classes, Meredith works in marketing and is a freelance photographer.”

Erica Misenti is the proud owner of the Fitness and Dancer Center, Higher Ground Core for kids and adults in Evergreen Walk, South Windsor. She is very thankful to work alongside her mother at HGC, and to share the stage now at Playhouse on Park.

Laurie Misenti’s biggest thrill was being asked to be a part of MY SHOW which began this wonderful group 20 years ago and is now endeared to her as her stop/time family. Laurie is currently teaching tap classes at Higher Ground Core, a cardio/fitness/dance company, owned & run by her daughter Erica

Erica O’Keefe is a physical therapist at Advanced Physical Therapy, as well as a dance teacher at Mid-Connecticut Dance Company, where she co-directs the competitive dance team with her sister, Jennifer.

Sheri Righti is extremely thankful for fortuitously meeting Darlene at Hartt School dance classes, and being invited to join the stop/time family 20 years ago. She is a Director in a platform services company where she leads the Community Health Product Portfolio at Hyphen out of Hartford, CT.

Alicia Voukides, has been dancing since age 3. Outside of the dance studio, Alicia works full time as a general dentist. She and her husband, Steve, welcomed their son, Nathaniel, in June, now 9 months old.

Courtney Woods is an original member of stop/time.. She began dancing at the age of 3. By day, Courtney can be found teaching in Enfield.

Zoller, who had some mystical cameos, is the founder, director, and choreographer of stop/time dance theater, now in its twenty-first year. She IS Mama D of “Mama D’s Outrageous Romp,” a grown-ups-only music, dance, and comedy event exclusive to the Playhouse.

“Social media followers know her as "the driveway lady" for having taught 450 consecutive days of ‘We’re Better When We’re Dancing’ dance classes online during the pandemic where she gathered a loyal following. Darlene is a former adjunct professor at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School. She also teaches dance classes for adults through the Playhouse Theatre Academy Simsmore Square and The 224 ECOSpace and is a dance/fitness instructor at Big Sky Fitness in Vernon.”

There was a story that tied together all of the impressively choreographed dance numbers, with three talented performers playing the characters on a mission of unpacking their baggage. The three had excellent stage presence and worked together with fun physical comedy.

Amanda Forker played a driven executive, performing with stop/time dance theater for a sixth time. Forker appeared as Mother Superior “Nunsense” at Playhouse on Park, got her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from WCSU, and is a Workplace Partner in Hartford by day. The delightful Victoria “Tori” Mooney, who has been a consistent stop/time member for 11 years, played the youngest member (social media obsessed) of the trio.

Rick Fountain, the only man in the cast, rounded out the character roles, playing a “Boomer.” Fountain is back for his 19th stop/time show and he credits Zoller “with the inspiration to keep kicking up his heels after all this time.” The wonderful actor/dancer has performed on this stage in 24 productions, and I enjoyed seeing him recently as Man in Chair in “The Drowsy Chaperone.”

I look forward to attending next year’s stop/time show, which Zoller says is already in the works of her mind.